# Merck Manual Professional vs FP Notebook

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Merck Manual Professional at none against FP Notebook's 3. Merck Manual Professional also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 61%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). FP Notebook's advantage is chart position (#49 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FP Notebook sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Merck Manual Professional asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Merck Manual Professional against 4.9 for FP Notebook. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1K and 3.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Merck Manual Professional's written reviews are positive against 61% of FP Notebook's.

Merck Manual Professional ships an update every 4 months, FP Notebook every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merck Manual Professional | FP Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merck-manual-professional/id331016312/reviews) | **[4.9 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fp-notebook/id835973313/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1K | **3.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **91.6% of reviews** | 61.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#49** |
| Size | 196 MB | 141 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Merck & Co Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/334253467) | [Atmosphere Apps, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/334077424) |

## What reviewers say

### Merck Manual Professional

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merck-manual-professional/id331016312)

This medical reference app offers healthcare practitioners and students clear, practical explanations for thousands of conditions across major medical and surgical specialties. It includes photos, illustrations, instructional videos, drug information, quizzes, and case simulations to stay updated with the latest clinical information.

**Highlights:** Thousands of medical topics, Photos and illustrations, Instructional 'How to' videos, Drug reference information, Knowledge quizzes, Interactive case simulations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Excellent medical resource
- 🔍 Comprehensive and up-to-date information
- 🎓 Valuable for medical professionals and students
- 🔍 Reliable and trusted source
- 🖥️ Great offline accessibility

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 🔍 Outdated or missing content
- 🔍 Difficult navigation and organization

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when searching for certain conditions
- Images and videos not loading properly
- Offline mode not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add personalization features like notes, highlights, and flashcards
- Improve search functionality and relevance
- Provide more frequent content updates
- Enhance app stability and performance


### FP Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fp-notebook/id835973313)

**Currently charting:** #49 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

A comprehensive medical reference for primary care and emergency clinicians, offering rapid access to over 6100 interlinked topic pages. Content is updated monthly through literature reviews and conferences, providing up-to-date information for medical professionals.

**Highlights:** Rapid access medical reference, Over 6100 interlinked topic pages, Content updated monthly, 31 specialty books, 700+ chapters, Point-of-care tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual Sub | $24.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent, comprehensive medical reference
- ⚡️ Efficient, concise, and easy to use
- 🧠 Invaluable for medical students, residents, and practitioners
- 🤝 Highly recommended by users
- 🕰️ Frequently used and relied upon for years

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model frustrates some users who previously had free access
- 🐞 Occasional app freezing or crashing issues reported
- 🔍 Built-in search function could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing or crashing on certain devices
- Subscription issues or unexpected charges

**Requested features**

- Ability to earn continuing education credits through the app
- Improved search functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merck Manual Professional free?

Merck Manual Professional is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is FP Notebook free?

FP Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Merck Manual Professional or FP Notebook?

FP Notebook is rated higher. Merck Manual Professional averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while FP Notebook averages 4.9 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do Merck Manual Professional or FP Notebook have ads?

Neither Merck Manual Professional nor FP Notebook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Merck Manual Professional or FP Notebook?

Merck Manual Professional ships an update every 4 months, and FP Notebook every 2 months. Most recently, Merck Manual Professional was updated on October 17, 2026 and FP Notebook on October 16, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*